My\u00a0 friend Chris and I loved an old cartoon in which Ziggy declared, \u201cMy idea of prosperity is a checking account with commas.\u201d We promptly adopted that as our prosperity symbol.<\/p>\n
Feeling prosperous is a highly individual thing and each of us has a different notion of what constitutes prosperity. For many people, alas, prosperity means having more than whatever they currently have.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s much healthier to find small reminders that we are creating abundance in our own lives. Here are a few of my personal favorites.<\/p>\n
* You use up your deposit slips faster than you use your check blanks. (This may not count if you bank online.)<\/p>\n
* You don\u2019t have any bills because you pay them as soon as they arrive and don\u2019t let them accumulate.<\/p>\n
* You\u2019re always looking for ways to maximize and utilize what you\u2019ve already got rather than noticing what you don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n
* You notice and acknowledge your surplus. As Sondra Ray points out if you have even a few coins in your purse, you have a surplus, yet almost nobody gives themselves credit for that.<\/p>\n
As Ray also reminds us, whatever you focus on expands. Focus on scarcity and guess what you get more of.<\/p>\n
* You say thank you a lot. Gratitude is not only a sign of prosperity\u2014it\u2019s the way to attract even more.<\/p>\n
* You refine your taste by noticing the things you find beautiful and by uncluttering your life to get rid of things that are taking up space but don\u2019t bring you joy. You\u2019re not afraid to create a vacuum.<\/p>\n
* You can appreciate the prosperity of others without being envious.<\/p>\n
* You keep creating\u00a0 projects that are both fun and profitable. Here are a few suggestions to add to your portfolio of Money for Fun Ideas.<\/p>\n
Start a new collection.<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s Mickey Mouse, antique advertising art or memorabilia from the Nineties, putting together a collection makes everyday life\u00a0a treasure hunt. And, of course, there\u2019s the possibility that you\u2019re creating a new profit center.<\/p>\n One collector of old books on coins and paper money picked up a stack of books for 50\u00a2 apiece in a bookshop. He later sold one of them for $300 and another for $400. This is the kind of \u00a0hobby that pays.<\/p>\n When you collect, you also start building expertise which can lead to other opportunities.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Create a project for which you\u2019ll need a passport. <\/strong>Thinking globally can stretch your imagination and help you discard limiting ideas. If you don\u2019t have a current passport, apply for one now so you are ready to go.<\/p>\n Involve your friends. <\/strong>Invite your entrepreneurial friends to help you with a boring job such as putting out a large mailing.\u00a0Offer to cook dinner in exchange for an evening\u2019s help. Look how much work got done at quilting bees. Same idea here.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Master the $100 Hour<\/strong>. Begin by making a pact with yourself that you will set aside time daily, if possible, for the purpose of finding an idea that will bring you $100. You\u2019ll find\u00a0 numerous suggestions for doing just that in the chapter on Getting Ideas<\/em> in Making a Living Without a Job<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My\u00a0 friend Chris and I loved an old cartoon in which Ziggy declared, \u201cMy idea of prosperity is a checking account with commas.\u201d We promptly adopted that as our prosperity symbol. Feeling prosperous is a highly individual thing and each of us has a different notion of what constitutes prosperity. For many people, alas, prosperity…<\/p>\n